[Dala]

Hi, I'm Dala, and I run a side business that focuses on battery replacements for the Nissan Leaf. This has led me to amass quite the amount of extra batteries and other EV parts, and I feel like the time is right to make an EV conversion.

I actually started this EV conversion back in 2017, but the project got put on hold due to me starting my nightly business. Now the business is chugging along quite good, and if I get enough Youtube subscribers, I can focus more on doing EV repairs/upgrades/conversions full time!

So that is the story, time to meet the vehicle. I'm putting a LEAF drivetrain into a 1991 Nissan NX. Here's what the vehicle looked like in 2013:

The first build video is going live next week, so I'll be putting that onto my channel (and here) when it drops: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc3g-KhOBoicgOrB4KkMeew

 

[Dala]

The first video is live!

 

[Dala]

Second episode, cleaning up after the ICE and a bit of vehicle history

 

[Emils_LV]

Hi, looking forward! Though have you thought about fast charging, is there any known way to utilize Leafs OEM charge controller?

 

[Dala]

Hi, looking forward! Though have you thought about fast charging, is there any known way to utilize Leafs OEM charge controller?

Yes, there is an upcoming solution when using the 2014-2017 AZE0 setup, I am aiming to use just that to get chademo going!

 

[Emils_LV]

Yes, there is an upcoming solution when using the 2014-2017 AZE0 setup, I am aiming to use just that to get chademo going!

Great! Will it be available for purchase? Looking forward to do similar conversion.

 

[Dala]

Yes it will be possible to purchase the controller from a Swedish startup!

In this episode, parts are being purchased! Here I show what my usual approach is when it comes to finding salvage yard bits and pieces!

 

[EmilsLV]

Yes it will be possible to purchase the controller from a Swedish startup!

Any hints or company to follow. Good luck with project, very much a lot, big time, super interested how this build turns out.

 

[Dala]

Any hints or company to follow. Good luck with project, very much a lot, big time, super interested how this build turns out.

EV conversion with Leaf parts (used) | Resolve-EV I'll be posting some vids on this next week!

 

[Dala]

So the motor that I ordered from Norway is finally here. In this short video, I proceed with tearing it down so that I can start to measure if it will be even possible to mate it with the SR6speed gearbox. Enjoy!

 

[Dala]

Last weekend I got the pedal setup figured out on the EVNX, here's a video on how hard it was to fit the Volkswagen Touran drive-by-wire into the car

 

[Dala]

Most of the adapter plate is now complete, check out how I managed with only hand tools

 

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

Most of the adapter plate is now complete, check out how I managed with only hand tools

0
Of the entire build, this is the one part that requires some actual precision. The motor must be apparently mounted within 0.004" of centre, and also with no angle (so motor and transmission shafts are parallel, not just their tips lined up).

How much, and how hard it is to do that, is up for some debate here. Some are just about adamant that it is impossible for an amateur without a machine shop to machine it accurately enough and you'd be doomed and a fool to even try it yourself. Others say no big deal, just bump it lightly until there's no vibration and you can feel it's perfectly centred. The trick is not whether it works the first time. It'll work, at first. The trick is whether it sheers the shaft off after a thousand km of being flexed just slightly, or attached slightly off-angle.

I am mostly on the "it's fine, just take your time and be careful" camp, but it will be nice to see if someone using simple hand tools and documenting the entire process will get there.

This is the first half of your adapter plate, I'm quite interested in where you go from here and how you choose to have them aligned.

 

[wjbitner]

Of the entire build, this is the one part that requires some actual precision. The motor must be apparently mounted within 0.04" of centre, and also with no angle (so motor and transmission shafts are parallel, not just their tips lined up).

How much, and how hard it is to do that, is up for some debate here. Some are just about adamant that it is impossible for an amateur without a machine shop to machine it accurately enough and you'd be doomed and a fool to even try it yourself. Others say no big deal, just bump it lightly until there's no vibration and you can feel it's perfectly centred. The trick is not whether it works the first time. It'll work, at first. The trick is whether it sheers the shaft off after a thousand km of being flexed just slightly, or attached slightly off-angle.

I am mostly on the "it's fine, just take your time and be careful" camp, but it will be nice to see if someone using simple hand tools and documenting the entire process will get there.

This is the first half of your adapter plate, I'm quite interested in where you go from here and how you choose to have them aligned.

Most of the adapter plate is now complete, check out how I managed with only hand tools

Another hand tool that may help with this process is called a 'transfer punch'. The are basically a set of center punches with different size shafts. You pick the shaft size the fits your hole, and get a perfect center mark. This is especially helpful after you have the first hole drilled and want everything else to line up. I enjoy your videos..

Bill

 

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

Another hand tool that may help with this process is called a 'transfer punch'.

I was ridiculed here before for suggesting even using transfer punches to mark bolt holes on said adapter plate, let alone final alignment.

I mean, don't let the naysayers and those who sell the services they insist you need to pay for, set the narrative for what has to be done, but, it certainly is important and while transfer punches will get you close, you'll need fine tuning.

 

[wjbitner]

I was ridiculed here before for suggesting even using transfer punches to mark bolt holes on said adapter plate, let alone final alignment.

I mean, don't let the naysayers and those who sell the services they insist you need to pay for, set the narrative for what has to be done, but, it certainly is important and while transfer punches will get you close, you'll need fine tuning.

Will a transfer punch get you 100% accuracy, no.. Will it likely be better than spray paint and eye-balling the center, yes.. I'm commenting at what I saw. Yes, for those who have more resources, there are better ways.. I like that Dala is using what he has and learning, and unlikely to be deterred with a few failures. I think this is his personal car, so he'll experience the success/failure with regard to any possible longevity issues..

 

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

Yes, for those who have more resources, there are better ways.. I like that Dala is using what he has and learning, and unlikely to be deterred with a few failures.

Let me try that again...

On this specific issue and probably no other on the build, it's a bit of an all-or-nothing proposition. You either get it lined up within 4 thou, or it's going to fail very soon. This is not like, say, bodywork or other things where "it's the best I can do" and the consequences are just that your build is proportionately less nice in that aspect. You have to get this part lined up properly or it fails.

On that, those saying it can't be done are probably closest to the truth.

However, as I said, I'm in the camp of having seen many builds that did this, and heard back that they've never had a failure a decade later. So I think it's perfectly fine to do it yourself, as long as you take care that it's lined up accurately. I don't know that transfer punches are going to get you within 0.004". But if you pick up the slop by using a dial indicator or a vibration test, and drill the dowel pins last and only after it's perfect, I think it's doable.

 

[Dala]

So here is the gameplan. Using 40mm thick rectangular pieces of steel as spacers:

Then we will clock the gearbox in X/Y positions. The end of the shaft coupler has 1.1mm of play in it

I'll post a video of the result at the end of the week

 

[Dala]

Still not got it perfect, need to do some more adjustments with it rotating. But here is where we are at now

 

[tylerwatts]

Hi Dala
Not sure if you have mentioned it, sorry. Why aren't you keeping the whole Leaf transmission rather than messing with the stock NX transmission? Lovely donor choice btw.

Cheers
Tyler